Cover that matches what replacement actually costs.

In Short

What this appraisal is for

Insurers need replacement value, not fair market value — the difference matters, and using the wrong basis is why claims get underpaid. We document what it would actually cost to replace an item, whether you're scheduling valuables on a policy up front or substantiating a claim after a theft, fire, or loss.

When You Need One

Who this is for

Insurance turns on a different number from every other appraisal, and that difference is why claims get underpaid. Clients reach us at two moments: before a loss, and after one.

• An insurer or broker wants valuables scheduled on a policy, and needs a written appraisal for each.
• A policy has a per-item limit that your jewelry, art, or collection has outgrown.
• An appraisal on file is years old and no longer reflects what replacement costs.
• A theft, a fire, or a water loss has happened, and the claim needs substantiating.
• A collection has grown steadily and has never been documented as a whole.

The Report

What the report is used for

Insurance uses replacement value: what it would cost to obtain a comparable item today, in the market where you would actually have to buy it. Fair market value — the figure an estate or a donation uses — is usually lower, and a policy written against it leaves you short at the worst possible moment.

Each report is signed and certified under USPAP, and states which standard of value it applies and why. Adjusters read that statement first, so it is not a formality.

• A description of each item, with the marks, materials, and measurements that identify it
• The replacement value of each item, and the total
• The market the replacement figure is drawn from
• The effective date of value
• The appraiser's certification, qualifications, and signature

How It Works

Four steps, start to signed report

Most assignments are prepared remotely, from photographs and documents. Where an item genuinely has to be seen in person, we say so before you pay rather than issue an opinion we cannot stand behind.

1. You send photographs and an inventory of the items, with any provenance, receipts, or certificates you have
2. We reply with a fixed quote, before any work starts
3. We research comparable sales and market data for each item or asset
4. You receive a signed, USPAP-compliant report you can file

Your Part

What we need from you

• Photographs of each piece from several angles
• Close photographs of every hallmark, signature, serial number, and inscription
• The grading report or laboratory certificate for any gemstone or diamond
• Receipts, prior appraisals, and certificates of authenticity you already hold
• What the insurer or broker has asked for, and any per-item limit in the policy

Photograph each piece from several angles, and photograph every hallmark, signature, serial number, and inscription close up. For gemstones and diamonds, send the grading report or laboratory certificate that came with the stone. Value there turns on characteristics no photograph can establish, so that document is what makes a remote appraisal possible for those items.

Price

What this costs

Contents and jewelry are quoted on the per-item schedule, from $10 an item for ordinary goods up to $50–75 for fine jewelry and significant pieces, with a $150 minimum. A vehicle or a machine on the same policy is quoted on the asset schedule, from $250.

You get a fixed quote before any work starts, and the fee follows the research the assignment takes, not the value we find. If photographs cannot support the value, we say so before you pay — and if the fee would exceed what the property is likely worth, we say that too.

See the full pricing →